E. Washington man sentenced to five years for firearms

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A former friend of ousted East Washington police Chief Donald A. Solomon was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison for firearms crimes.

"I'm not going to defend my actions, because they're indefensible," Timothy B. Johnson, 41, of East Washington told U.S. District Judge Cathy Bissoon. But he said that he sold FBI informants and agents silencers because he was living out of a truck and had to get money for a down payment on a house.

FBI Special Agent James Shearer testified that the agency got a tip that Johnson was involved in illegal gun activity. A source and then an undercover agent bought six silencers which Johnson made with parts he ordered from a local machine shop.

Johnson pleaded guilty to four counts each of unlawful possession and unlawful transfer of firearms, including silencers. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a machine gun and one of sale of a firearm to a felon.

Mr. Solomon has pleaded guilty to extortion in relation to incidents in which he was paid to stand guard while FBI agents posing as drug dealers conducted a mock cocaine transaction. He faces sentencing May 3